The Herbivorous Carnivore
by RenegadeWarrior
Summary: AU Nine-year-old Hibari Kyouya meets eighteen-year-old Sawada Tsunayoshi, a carnivore who seems determined to be an everyday herbivore. Too bad his carnivorous companions are just as against this as the little skylark himself. 1827, All27, and more.
1. Hibari Kyouya Follows a Stranger

**Woohoo! First (posted) yaoi story. **

**Summary: AU Nine-year-old Hibari Kyouya meets eighteen-year-old Sawada Tsunayoshi, a carnivore who seems determined to be an everyday herbivore. Too bad his carnivorous companions are just as against this as the little skylark himself. 1827, All27, and more.**

**Warnings: AU, MalexMale, OOC, Violence, Language, Age Gap**

**The main pairing will be HibarixTsuna, but that doesn't mean that little Hibari won't have rivals, because everyone's favorite Tuna is just so lovable. Also a special surprise crack pairing will be here. I haven't seen anyone do this one yet, so I'm hoping this fic will start a movement.**

**Chapter 1: Hibari Kyouya Follows a Stranger Into a Dark Alley**

* * *

There are many things that could be said of Hibari Kyouya. He is strange. He is strong. He is obsessed with 'biting' people to death. He is just downright terrifying in general. And the self-proclaimed protector of the town of Namimori from just about everything his tonfas could touch. That included the citizens of Namimori much to their dismay.

What most people seem to leave out (or just outright ignore) when they gossip about him is the fact the Hibari Kyouya is only nine years old. Because the thought of this monster child growing up to become even stronger was a nightmare in and of itself.

* * *

On a routine patrol around the area surrounding Namimori Elementary, Hibari Kyouya was waiting-somewhat impatiently- for his subordinate/right-hand man/possibly only human friend, Kusakabe Tetsuya to return.

It was just hot enough to feel mildly uncomfortable, even in short sleeves, and so Kusakabe offered to get cold drinks for them from a small family run convenience store. Hibari stayed outside as this warm day had caused several people to crowd within the air conditioned store and it really wasn't worth going inside himself when Tetsu could do just as well. Besides, he needed to keep an eye out as there had been complaints of late about a small gang of troublemakers harassing the locals and any pedestrian that happened to pass through their territory.

How foolish. This was Hibari's territory not theirs. He would have to make sure these disruptive herbivores learned that.

Anyone who knew the dark-haired child standing outside the store, emotionlessly surveying them, gave him a wide berth as they passed by. Some even crossing the street to get away from that unnerving look. They walked away quickly and tried to keep themselves from making any unnecessarily loud noise.

"DO YA KNOW WHO WE ARE? HUH?"

"Uhh-uuhh…"

Except for that particular group of herbivores down the street. Hibari narrowed his eyes. He could hear them all the way from here. Crowding. Disruptive Behavior.

Six men, sloppily dressed in dark leather with copious amounts of metal attached to both their clothes and bodies, were surrounding a small brunet who was backed up against the brick wall of a building.

Tarnishing the good name of Namimori.

"WELL? DO YA FUCKER?"

The brunet cringed and shied away from the punk as much as he could. Whether in actual fear or to get away from the spittle flying out of his harasser's mouth, Hibari wasn't quite sure.

"Umm…n-no. Not-not really. I just moved here not too long ago."

"Hah! Why don't we enlighten you then?" grinned a pockmarked man from his left.

The people around them simply ducked their heads down, no one giving more than a pitying glance in the brunet's direction. The spineless herbivores.

"We're part of the Blue Cobra Gang from the next town over and we're looking to expand see? But we need money for that and unfortunately we have to rely on the _generous donations_ of others." He leered at the young man before him. "You get my drift?"

If he wasn't already certain that these were the troublemakers, those words probably would have cemented it. Hibari was already moving forward but those words spurred him to move faster. How dare these herbivores come to steal from Namimori citizens. If they wanted to extort money from people, they should be doing this in their own town. And what was that nonsense about expanding territories? He would have to make sure to thoroughly bite them to death.

"So pay up!" barked a third man.

The brunet flinched again.

"But I really don't have any money on me. I left my wallet back at my apartment."

"Bullshit!" A large beefy arm seized him by the lapels of his shirt and tugged him close. "There's no wa-"

"Hold up Andou. Put him down."

This must be the leader for the huge man dropped the other with only a mild grumble.

"What's your name?" He was smiling in a not so pleasant way.

"Sa-sasaki Y-yori."

"Well Yori-kun. Did you know that we're also looking to find more patrons? It would help ever so much if you could introduce us to more people. Maybe your neighbors? Family? Friends?"

"I-I-I…" The brunet was glancing around helplessly, but no one would meet his eyes. No one except for a startling pair of silver-blue gems darkened with righteous fury. The brunet's caramel orbs locked on to Hibari's blue steel eyes for just a split second before sliding away, but it was just enough to make the boy pause. Those eyes. Those weren't the eyes of a frightened herbivore. Those were…actually he couldn't make sense of what they were, but it was enough to arrest all movement from the young boy.

Then the brunet's shoulders slumped down in apparent defeat.

"I don't live too far from here…"

"Great!" A hand clapped heavily onto his shoulder. "Why don't we head back to your place then and you can give us your donation there. Sound good?"

"Yeah." His reply was less than enthusiastic as he led the group down a side alley two blocks over.

By that point Hibari was moving again, chasing after them ,and turned the corner just in time to see the last man disappear into the dark alley.

"What are you-AAARRGH"

"Fu-"

"You bast-Gluck!"

Screams, crashes and the familiar sound of flesh impacting flesh rang in the air.

By the time Hibari had made it there, the six men along with their unwilling victim were no longer in sight. He cautiously stepped forth and headed down the path. Rustling was heard nearby and Hibari froze. He looked up at the open dumpster ahead only to see the tip of a shoe poking out. He circled around it and found a tattooed hand resting on the metal edge.

Glancing around, he noticed a fire escape not too far from the dumpster and climbed it to get a better view.

One, two, three, four, five, six herbivores. And none of them were the small brunet herbivore.

No. He couldn't call him an herbivore. Now he knew what was different about those eyes. They weren't the eyes of a carnivore. But they weren't the eyes of an herbivore either. They were something in between. An omnivore. Hibari had never met one in his short life before so he hadn't recognized them. Why else would they have made him stop like that? The few carnivores in his life didn't live here and only occasionally visited the small town. It wouldn't be the same as being in the presence with one of _them_, but this could still be interesting.

Swinging off the fire escape, he made sure to kick the lid of the open dumpster down. The lid didn't quite close all the way due to the amount of bodies piled atop the garbage, but no matter. Today was trash day and the omnivore had even generously found a convenient way to get rid of these herbivores so that their unsightly bodies did not litter the streets. How thoughtful of him. The omnivore was already shaping up to be a model Namimori citizen.

His mind carefully filtered through the previous conversation as he ignored the muffled groans coming from someone in the dumpster.

"Sasaki Yori. I will find you." A feral grin stole over his face, morphing it into a terrifying visage. It would have made any normal man cry.

Somewhere not too far away, Sawada Tsunayoshi sneezed.

"I hope that boy's okay." It was a shame that the only person who seemed to be coming to his rescue was a young boy who still looked like he was in elementary school, but there was no way that a kid should be getting involved with something like members of an upstart yakuza group…even if his eyes reminded Tsuna of another perpetually angry-and very dangerous-little boy.

Tsuna sneezed again. This time a shudder worked its way down his spine.

"Mou…They must have realized that I'm gone by now. I hope the others will hold them off for a just little while longer."

* * *

**Tsuna gave them a fake name. Of course that's not going to exactly help Hibari's search for him. Don't worry though Hibari! Tsuna's bad luck will surely come through for you. XD**


	2. Hibari Kyouya Searches for a Stranger

**Thank you for all the favorites, reviews and alerts! If you find any typos or such, please tell me so I can fix it right away.**

**So people are concerned about the possible shotacon here. Tsuna isn't going to be interested in Hibari like that at first. In fact, he's not going to even consider it for a few more years and by then Hibari will be a teenager. That doesn't mean Hibari won't be trying to change his mind sooner though. 8) **

**OCs in this chapter and Tsuna is overpowered in this story, but the reasons for this will be shown later. **

**Also, the phrase Pedo-Tuna makes me laugh whenever I think about it now.**

**Chapter 2: Hibari Kyouya Searches for a Stranger Through not so Legal Means**

* * *

Kusakabe Tetsuya was worried. He had come out with the drinks (two bottles of litchi ramune) only to find that Hibari was gone. He came back soon enough looking rather happy (if you could call the aura of bloodthirsty excitement happy) and pleased in general. A few boys-two grades above them-ran away crying and everyone was giving him a bigger space than normal as they walked around him.

"Tetsu. The herbivores that have been causing the recent attacks have been bitten to death."

"Oh. Was this the only group?"

"I do not know. However, I was not the one to bite them."

Tetsuya blinked. Someone had taken Kyou-san's prey? And he wasn't angry at all?

He handed Hibari a glass bottle and pushed down the marble to his own.

"Then who…?"

"A new Namimori citizen…"

Hibari's eyes glittered as his own bottle hissed upon opening, the little marble clinking ominously within.

"…and an omnivore."

* * *

That was eight days ago. However, even with the other members of the Namimori Elementary Disciplinary Committee searching nearly none stop, no one had come up with any leads save that it might have been a false name.

For a class's worth of six to eleven years olds, their progress at sifting through profiles and information was quite remarkable. Especially if one were to take into account the fact that over half of their kiddy intelligence network was technically done through not so legal means.

There was no match for a Sasaki Yori in Namimori except for an old man who had moved away thirty-seven years ago and he looked nothing like the person Hibari had seen. Once they had exhausted all the potential people with the last same Sasaki, they moved on to Yori and all the possible names it could have been shorthand for. It was a reasonable guess as to why the mystery omnivore had given a fake name, but it had made them waste time and Hibari was getting impatient.

Then one of the DC members talked his older brother, who was a police officer, into drawing a police sketch based off of Hibari's descriptions so that the others would have some idea of what the person looked like. He knew better than to ask why they wanted this picture and so long as this wasn't an actual criminal, he didn't mind indulging the boys after his shift was over.

The officer, upon finishing the picture, froze.

"Nii-san? What is it?"

He flipped his sketch pad around.

"You boys sure this is what your guy looks like?"

Hibari took the pad and studied the drawing. It was a remarkable likeness of the Omnivore. The officer did good work.

Katayama Yasushi, age twenty-one. Older brother to eight year old Katayama Shinji who was also happened to be the most artistically-inclined member of the DC. He would have to remember this man for future reference.

"Do you know this Omnivore?"

Yasushi quirked a brow, but didn't question the use of a title above Herbivore. Another point in his favor.

"If this is really who I think it is…tell me something. Did this person in any way resemble a frightened rabbit? Or something equally cute or harmless looking?"

Hibari narrowed his eyes.

"Yes." He found himself talking more than he would normally let on. "He was surrounded by herbivores who called themselves the Blue Cobra Gang and were trying to press him for money. They pressured him into taking them to his home and he led them to an alley. By the time I had arrived, the herbivores had been thoroughly bitten to death and the Omnivore was no longer in site."

"Blue Cobra? That group has trying to gather up people and resources for a while now. They're a new group that's trying to get recognition as credible yakuza."

"They have been poaching on Namimori territory. Some people filed complaints."

Yasushi frowned and took out a small notepad.

"I'll make a note of this and I'll try to get a little more info on them later. But right now, you all want to hear a story?"

"No." Straight to the point and blunt as always. "I only need his name and address."

"C'mon. Just listen for a bit okay?"

At the sight of Hibari pulling out his tonfas, Yasushi held up his hands in a placating gesture.

"Hey hey. Look. Unless nothing's changed and this really is who I think it is, then his name is Sawada Tsunayoshi. But seriously. This story has to do with him. And me."

Hibari continued to study him for a moment before the tonfas disappeared in a flash of metal. To the side, Shinji was sweating at the possibility that his leader would bite his beloved older brother to death, but he was now incredibly curious.

At Hibari's get-on-with-it-before-I-bite-you-to-death glare, Yasushi gestured for the three younger boys to take seat on the floor.

"Well, five years ago, I was someone that you'd probably bite to death on principle Hibari-san. I was brash, bold, and an overall bastard in general. I even ended up getting held back a grade twice. Both times were because I was running wild and picking fights with other crazy hotheads like myself instead of studying.

So here I was, a sixteen year old, still in my second year of middle school when this infamous first year showed up. He was a short skinny thing and constantly failed at everything. Not to mention a bully's wet dream. He screamed, he cried, and he ran, but never actually fought back. He was called Dame-Tsuna and even the teachers who were supposed to being dealing with this would pick on him. Now that I look back, it was a wonder this kid never went berserk or committed suicide. He was always so accepting of it all."

Yasushi looked far away, drudging up old memories.

"I'm ashamed to say that I was just as bad. I didn't pick on him as much as most of the others did, because I wanted the glory and rush that came from fighting strong opponents not some thirteen year old loser, but that didn't stop me from sending him on errands or just watching as the others vandalized his desk or stole his lunch. Things got better when he got friends, but his friends…that's a story for another time. In all honesty, he wasn't really as bad as his reputation made him out to be. He was actually pretty normal."

Shinji was looking a little horrified. To think that his role model was once not too different from the kids who had picked on Shinji himself (and were consequently bitten to death by Hibari for causing a disturbance).

"Then one day, some idiots from Namichuu get into a brawl with students of a rival school in their home turf. Before anyone knew it, we were going back and forth with each other. This was the reason that I ended up getting expelled and held back twice in the previous years and I was just a little leery of actually getting kicked out a third time, but by then high schoolers managed to get dragged in. Some who happened to know me when we were in the same grade."

Yasushi sighed, blue eyes sliding shut as he made a face.

"It wasn't just limited to us punks anymore. Innocents were dragged in just for wearing a school uniform. One day, they get Sawada by himself. He was surrounded-most likely having the bad luck to stumble across a secret meeting-and while my group didn't really care about Sawada, he was still a Namichuu student. It was the principle of the thing so four guys-myself included-had to step in even though we were out numbered. It was a huge group. Forty-seven to four. We knew that there was no way to get them all, but like the hotheads we were, the four of us rushed in."

All three boys were leaning forward; even Hibari was hanging onto his every word.

"Course we get our asses handed to us, but Sawada's still there. Two of them were holding onto him and the four of us only managed to take out twenty-two guys. So we're being held down when their banchou gets up and comes over to gloat and what do you know. Turns out he was one of my old rivals, Katou. We swap insults for a bit and then he claims that he heard that there were crazy strong people in Namimori, but so far he hasn't found a single one.

This whole damn fight started because someone did them a favor and they were just repaying him. He was searching for a person who was probably the strongest middle schooler within a hundred miles, but liked to pretend that he wasn't so that people wouldn't constantly challenge him, but if he thought that someone was in trouble he'd step in to help. So they had taken to attacking random students in the hope of driving this guy out of hiding. Three guesses as to who this mystery guy is and the first two don't count."

"Sawada. Sawada Tsunayoshi." Hibari's steely eyes were alight with the thought of such a powerful carnivore.

Yasushi gave a grim nod.

"Right. Sawada speaks up for the first time. "What did this guy look like?" All Katou knows is that he's a Kokuyo student with one red eye and one blue eye. And dark blue hair spiked up like a pineapple.

Sawada goes real quiet and still then. "Of course _he_ would do something like this." The way he says that. He sounded exasperated, annoyed even. Calm and level, but no one could stop the chill from running up our spines at that voice.

I asked him what the hell he was talking about. Who was this bastard? "My friend…and someone you wouldn't want to meet even in broad daylight." Sawada then asked Katou to let us go and stop the attacks on our school while he went to talk to his friend. Course no one can believe that this fourteen-year-old skinny shrimp is the supposed strongest fighter. So he makes a deal. If he can singlehandedly beat the guys in Katou's gang that were here at this very moment, then not only would they take him to the Kokuyo guy, they would also stop the attacks and promise not to tell people who he was. In turn, for saving the four of us, he wanted us to try to get the others at school to stop attacking the others as well."

A hand was dragged down his face, as Yasushi gave a rueful chuckle.

"It was a massacre. Twenty-five to one and he wiped them all out in less than five minutes. By the end Katou is the only one conscious, because Sawada needed him as his guide. It's then we learn that Sawada never fought back because he didn't like hurting people. So long as he was the only one being bullied, he wouldn't really do anything. Drag in others though and you'd never know what hit you.

So the attacks are stopped and everything is over and done within a week. Well, almost everything. The current Banchou of the time wanted a fight too afterwards, but Sawada just spent his time running away. He moved and we never did get to see that fight, but by that point, it didn't really matter anymore. Once you actually get to know him, you can't help but like the little guy. Besides, the outcome would have been obvious, but the idea of being able to go head to head with him was enough to make a true man's blood stir."

"Where is Sawada Tsunayoshi now then?"

"Don't know."

Hibari bristled and the officer quickly tried to placate him.

"Like I said. He moved. As soon as he graduated middle school. He said something about his dad having a job in Italy and wanting the whole family to be together. Far as I know, he's still there or-if you really saw him-was there. He should be around eighteen or nineteen now. Maybe he's decided to move back here."

At their sullen(Hibari), crestfallen(Shinji), and resigned(Kusakabe) looks, Yasushi could only apologize.

"Sorry boys. That's all I can give you for now. But there's an entire room at the station filled with incident reports where witnesses state that a figure that matched Sawada and his friends' description was often seen around before they happened. Of course nothing could ever be pinned on them, but well…I'll see what I can do to get you in. That room makes for some pretty interesting reading."

"Nii-san. Is that what Tou-san used to spend so much time complaining about? He never believed that middle school kids could cause so much destruction and chaos even though they were his only lead."

Yasushi flashed them a wry grin.

"Why do you think I became a cop like our old man? I've been trying to sort through that stuff for years."

* * *

Abo Aki, the seventeen year old sister of DC member ten-year-old Abo Toshiaki, and known hikikomori for the last three years.

Hibari didn't really have a problem with them. He generally understood the feeling of not wanting to be around other people but in no way was he going to give up going outside. If the herbivores were crowding around, then he'd simply bite them to death. No one was going to make him budge on this.

"Ah…welcome…Hibari-san…Kusakabe-san…Toshi…"

Aki was incredibly soft spoken around most people, so much that others often had to strain to hear her. Luckily, all three boys had a fairly acute sense of hearing. It also helped that she had also become accustomed to them enough to actually speak somewhere above a whisper, but not at the normal voice level.

"Your monthly overview is…almost ready."

She was already turning back to her computer. Windows of various complicated programs and webpages were partially covered by a newly opened blank document.

"Aki-nee. We're looking for a person who used to live in Namimori. Someone called Sawada Tsunayoshi."

Stick thin fingers, poised to attack her keyboard with lightning speed, paused. The pad of an index finger just barely kissing the 'S' key.

"Sawada…senpai?"

Aki slowly turned around her swivel chair, the light from the monitor glinting off her thick granny glasses.

"You want to…know…about Sawada-senpai?"

"Yeah. You know him?"

"Yes. I went to school with him. Sawada-senpai was a year older than me even though we were in the same grade." The trio before her stared. She was speaking in something that was neither her usual whispy tone nor her professional reporter voice.

"The same grade? Aki-nee. What-"

"I skipped a grade in elementary." Her voice was growing louder and more down to earth. Something that Toshiaki hadn't heard in years since his sister decided to not go to high school and became a shut in. "Even though we were in the same grade in middle school, it was habit to refer to him as such."

She turned back to the monitor and raised her voice even more over the rapid fire klick-klacks of her typing.

"Because he was such a big target, Senpai often drew the attention of almost every bully in the entire school. They would to try to ambush him away from his friends, but he occasionally let them catch them, so few appreciated much less realized what he did though. He had this uncanny way of knowing when someone was in big trouble and would bumble his way over and lure them away with the prospect of an even more appetizing prey. Failing that, he'd show a glimpse of his other sides, but anyone who does witness it generally keeps quiet or is sworn to secrecy and silence by him or one of his friends. After all, who would be believe that Dame-Tsuna could do anything right?"

High quality laser printers spat out sheet after sheet of paper which were quickly gathered, sorted, and paperclipped together.

"Dame-Tsuna who really wasn't dame at all. But it was done so skillfully, so subtly that most never even suspected. At least until his family decided that they had had enough."

The dark-haired brunet handed them her monthly Namimori Elementary evaluation, Tsuna's school records, notes about him from various teachers and counselors, pictures of him scanned from old yearbooks, and his medical records.

Hibari carefully studied the unruly brown hair, matching wide caramel eyes, and overall aura of purity and innocence that the pictures seemed to radiate. How was it possible that this boy could have been anything other than an herbivore? Albeit, a cute herbivore. Not unlike a bunny really.

"Sorry, but this is all the information I can provide you with for now. All of this is pretty much open for anyone, but anything else is beyond even my scope. You'll have to try someone else for the really juicy stories. I've also set up a private appointment with Tanaka-san at the usual place…but whether or not he'll be willing to provide you with _his_ information is uncertain."

She gave them a wan smile.

"Say hello to Senpai for me _if_ you can find him. And tell him that anytime he's needs some information, he's welcome to my services for free. After all, he's the reason that-" The girl slipped her extra-large t-shirt off one shoulder and tugged the collar down to expose a scattering of small round scars that Hibari recognized as faded cigarette burns.

"-my face doesn't look like this right now."

Abo Aki. The sole guardian in charge of raising Abo Toshiaki in the place of their parents who spent most of their time working overseas. A brilliant girl but shy girl whose parents despaired over her sudden refusal to leave her house to finish her education and get a job. As far as her brother, Hibari, Kusakabe, and the rest of the DC for that matter, were concerned. Hacking was a legitimate job. Even more so, when it was mostly for the benefit of the DC, and through association, Namimori. Apparently, she also only spoke in that whispery way of hers out of habit.

Aki's past trauma was neither his problem nor his concern, but it had to do with the Omnivore and therefore was his concern _now_. He'd have to do some delicate work to be able to pry it out of her if she wasn't in a sharing mood. Intimidation didn't work well with her as she could be surprisingly stubborn and she was far too valuable to simply bite to death as well. Worst of all, she knew it. Toshiaki would be useful in this situation if he could stop sputtering in horror and shock like an herbivore long enough. Hibari didn't hold much hope for him at the moment though.

As he checked over the latest Namimori Elementary reports,-the hunt would have to wait unfortunately-Hibari made a mental note to increase her funding along with a bonus for the newest tidbit about Sawada. It would be charged as an expense of the DC and paid for by the school. Or better yet, by the soon-to-be ex-principle Tanioka who would be paying for it out of his own pocket. After he bit the man to death of course. Hopefully the next one would know better than to think that he could get away with embezzling from Hibari's beloved school.

* * *

Tanaka Hitoshi was a man in his early fifties with thinning salt and pepper hair arranged in a comb over. Large shiny glasses, a suit with the tie slightly loosened, and brief case in hand, he looked like nothing more than a tired salary man stopping by a restaurant on his way home from work. Completely nondescript and unmemorable in every way.

The restaurant wasn't though. It was a large place where the dining area for patrons consisted of a several small back to back rooms arranged in rows. The walls were thick but not quite soundproof, muting the sounds of the loudest patrons there. Each room had a theme with traditional Japanese paintings on the walls and doors. The food and drinks were pretty good here, but its main appeal was the private rooms for people who wanted to enjoy their meal in peace and privacy. The staff was known to be very discreet as well.

"Ah! Tanaka-san. It's good to see you again. Most of the rooms aren't occupied right now, but I'm sorry. Your _favorite_ isn't free at the moment, but the _'Sakura Room'_ next door is. It's pretty _quiet _tonight so you can go on ahead and sit down and have a _bite_ soon. _Hatoko-san_ will be your server tonight."

_Favorite_ instead of usual. His usual was the 'Waterfall Room'. His actual favorite was the 'Sika Deer Room'. Probably because of the fond memories he had of his childhood in Nara.

If _quiet _and _bite_ weren't big enough key words, then he didn't know what was._ Favorite_…for a certain person-under whose thumb the restaurant's owner was under-was the 'Cloud Room'. The 'Sakura Room' was the only room to share a wall with the 'Cloud Room' as the 'Cloud Room' was at the end of the last row in the restaurant. And, _Hatoko-san_, a deceptively effeminate crossdressing waiter whose younger brother was also a member of the Namimori Elementary Disciplinary Committee.

Whatever, Hibari wanted had to be big. Hitoshi wasn't the best informant within four hundred miles for nothing. He had heard about the DC's not so subtle search along with Hibari's growing obsession for Sasaki Yori, the mysterious Omnivore who had vanished from the ferocious boy's sight and continued to stay out of it. Personally, Tanaka thought that this alone made Sasaki-san a smart man.

Stepping into the 'Sakura Room', Hitoshi took a seat on the cushion on the floor, while Hatoko-san went to check on the occupants of the room next door. Like always, Hitoshi ordered his meal and ate it. Five minutes after he had finished, the waiter returned to clear away his empty dishes.

"Your bill has been paid. Please enjoy this complementary dessert and sake as well. Do not worry about the cost."

A plate of kusa mochi and a flask of his favorite sake.

Hitoshi's gut feeling-honed by years of dealing with his particular line of work- twinged. It wasn't unusual for Hibari to pay for his meal along with his services. Nor was it unusual provide him with alcohol as well. Hibari Kyouya's father, Hibari Masumi, had done so. But he had learned to never ignore his gut.

Hibari tended to only call on him when he really needed it. Or when he was reaching the ends of his patience. Informant fees weren't cheap, but Hitoshi operated just close enough to be allowed to fall under Namimori's-and the Hibari clan's-jurisdiction. All Hibari's got a discount and Hitoshi got their protection provided that he followed the few-mostly reasonable-guidelines they set.

With a sigh, he popped the last piece of mochi into his mouth and drained his cup. He was fairly sure that he was being watched as exactly thirty seconds after he set the cup down, the wall split open to reveal the back of a painted silk screen. Like clockwork as always. He could never find any trace of hidden cameras or viewing holes though.

"Hibari-san is ready to receive you now."

A young boy-quite possibly Hatoko-san's brother, but Hitoshi could never be quite certain as they all seemed to look alike-announced. He followed the boy through the door way and around the screen to see Hibari seated before the low table. To his right sat Kusakabe Tetsuya. All around them, small boys bustled around and filed themselves into the 'Sakura Room', shutting the hidden door quietly as to not offend Hibari's arguably delicate sensitivities about crowding.

Hitoshi had dealt with full fledge yakuza heads less intimidating than these kids. But he had a core of steel in his unassuming frame and so took a seat right across from the boy.

"What can I do for you today Hibari-san?"

"Sasaki Yori is not the Omnivore's real name." Straight to the point. Hibari was impatient. That meant that he would have a short deadline. "He is most likely Sawada Tsunayo-"

Hitoshi choked on air, eyes wide.

"Sa-sawada Tsu-tsu-tsunayoshi?"

"You know him." It wasn't a question.

For the first time in four years, Tanaka Hitoshi lost his composure in front of a client. He sighed as he took off his glasses and withdrew a handkerchief to wipe them.

"Of all the people you could be here for information about, I didn't think it would be him. My apologies Hibari-san, but the information I can provide for you is rather limited or rather, for my own safety, I'm reluctant to provide you with anything truly substantial."

"Herbivore. I have al-"

Hitoshi held up a hand, cutting the young boy off as he slid his silver frames back onto his face.

"Hibari-san. This is serious. Where did you hear that name? Are you absolutely certain this person is Sawada Tsunayoshi?"

Hibari studied the man in front of him. Tanaka-san had been dealing in this line of work for over thirty years now. He was unassuming and knew how to use that to his advantage. He was also difficult to shake and generally only displayed such herbivorous actions to make himself seem less threatening than he really was. For a person like him, who often dealt with the shadiest sorts of people on a near daily basis, to openly show such concern though…

"Tetsu."

At his name, Kusakabe presented a manila folder to the informant.

Hitoshi was pleased to find that his hands didn't shake as he reached for it. Inside were photos of Tsuna in his Namichuu uniform.

Behind it, was a photocopy of the original police drawing depicting what the brunet, that he had last seen three years ago, could look like now.

"That girl…" Hitoshi sighed as he carefully sifted through the folder. "…she could have given me some warning."

He looked up square into the steely eyes of the small boy before him.

"What was it that you've been calling him? An omnivore?"

"Yes. He does not have the eyes of a carnivore but he does not have the eyes of an herbivore either. He is somewhere in between." In a rare show of emotion, he elaborated on what he had seen, never realizing how his eyes seemed to light up with a look of childish excitement as he spoke of the incident.

"That's where you would be wrong Hibari-san."

The look of affront and incredulity on Hibari's face would have been hilarious on anyone else, but he knew better than to laugh.

"I know that you've managed to hear some stories about him-and miraculously from the right people too-, but he is in no way an omnivore. By your father's or even your uncle's standards," At this Hibari somehow managed to intensify his laser-like gaze. "he is a carnivore…just with herbivorous inclinations."

"He does not fight back even when he is clearly strong enough to. He allows himself to be beaten by herbivores."

"Unless he sees something as a threat. There is a difference between being an omnivore and being a carnivore who does not want to draw attention. I can see why you would be confused though. Sawada…does not fall into any single category. He is difficult to define. What really makes him so dangerous isn't his fighting prowess though." _Although he is absurdly powerful._

"Nor is it his deceptively innocent appearance." _That can be negotiable too._

"It's his ability to collect-no that's not the right word for it, gather maybe?-people around him. Especially dangerous people. People who can sense potential are drawn to Tsunayoshi-san like bees to honey. He's constantly surrounded by all sorts of characters. Many of them are carnivores, the likes of which you've never seen before. Have you ever heard of the Momokyokai?"

Hibari's grey eyes narrowed thoughtfully, noting Tanaka's use of the Omnivore's first name, but not commenting on it.

"Yes. It was one of the weaker yakuza in Namimori until five years ago. They specialized more in business such as selling loans and dealing with protection of the night clubs in the outer edges of Namimori. Because they did not infringe on any of our clan's rules, they were left alone. Their destruction left a minor hole in the power balance yet the other groups did not immediately rush to fill it."

It figures that Hibari-san, the both of them, would have educated their son in the history of the criminal organizations in Namimori.

"And do you know why?"

"My father and mother-"

"Were not here at the time. Your father returned from his dealings in America shortly after the incident and your mother was still in Beijing. One of Tsunayoshi-san's family members wished to test the strength of his friends and so incited a false kidnapping incident. Two thirteen year old boys stormed their office and wiped out their first group. The second part, the muscle of the group so to speak, was taken out just as easily by Tsunayoshi-san along with his friends. However, the Momokyokai had done nothing to warrant their destruction other than the fact that they were yakuza. This particular group was chosen on a whim because the instigator is a person who would do things like this simply for his own amusement. The smarter yakuza tended to tread carefully whenever Tsunayoshi-san's extended family was in town."

"Why has no one mentioned such powerful people then?"

"Far be it for me to assume the thoughts of your parents, but most likely, it is because they do a good job at cleaning up their messes. The Momokyokai were thoroughly wiped out and all traces of the attack was taken care of. There were no deaths and each person has made a full recovery, but everyone else was too afraid to make a move for fear that the same whim that had ended with the obliteration of the Momokyokai would be drawn to them. Tsunayoshi-san comes from a powerful background just like you Hibari-san. It is possible that that someone from your clan would have someday introduced you to him though as many are on decent or at least tolerable terms with several members his family. If he has truly returned to Namimori, then you will meet them soon enough."

Hitoshi observed the boy carefully and uttered in his gravest tone.

"I have been dealing with your family for three generations now. Out of respect for these long years of business, I am going to give you this warning. If you choose to continue pursuing Sawada Tsunayoshi, you will be drawn into conflicts with things and people that you could never have imagined even in a hundred years. Your choices are to turn a blind eye to him and everything that comes with his presence or continue to seek him out. If you choose to ignore him, you can live your life with his presence as nothing more than an aside, an afterthought or possible irritant. If you choose to get closer, you will be unable to avoid his pull. There are no other choices and no going back once this happens. Wherever he goes, trouble follows and simply because of your duties to this town, you will end up crossing paths with him over and over. He is someone that even your father, stringent man that he is, may approve of if you choose to associate with him, but you must decide for yourself if this is something you truly want."

_However, it may already be too late for you Hibari Kyouya. And you won't even be able to ever truly regret it. Someday, you may end up leaving this town that you love so much just to stay by his side. You certainly wouldn't be the first to do so. Nor will you be the last._

The three sat in heavy silence until Hibari made his decision. It was obvious what it would be. It was also obvious that he was a little skeptical of the part about the warning.

"Thank you for your time Tanaka-san. The money will wired to you tonight."

"There is no need for that Hibari-san. The fact that Sawada Tsunayoshi may be back in town is more than enough payment. Now that I have prior warning, I can make an attempt to prepare myself for the inevitable chaos."

Hibari fixed him with an adamant look.

"You shall be paid for your continued services to the Hibari family along with a bonus for the Omnivore's information."

_Omnivore…well, he'll change it soon enough once he gets to know Tsunayoshi a little better._ If Hibari was so insistent on paying him though, he wasn't going to argue. You didn't refuse a Hibari over something so minor.

"Oh! Before you go, I suppose that I can give you some advice. Three years can change a lot of things, but I believe that Tsunayoshi-san shouldn't have done so all that much. You must be careful not to alarm him too much or he will run. He most likely won't fight you seriously either, but if you are persistent enough, he may agree to occasionally teach you a few things and most importantly…if he believes that you ever truly need help, he will not be able to deny you."

* * *

It was late, but it was a Saturday night, so plenty of people were out and crowding about. However, Hibari wasn't as concerned about it. Not when he had so much to think over. So the Omnivore was not really a model citizen after all. Why hadn't his parents ever mentioned someone like Sawada Tsunayoshi before? Granted, he didn't see his parents too often, but if the teen was involved in as much suspicious underground activity as everyone seemed to hint at, then his name should have come up at some point. Unless, the Omnivore's family really was that powerful, powerful enough to force his own carnivorous family to tread carefully…could this person really be a carnivore? More importantly, why had he come back?

Lost in his thoughts, he barely realized that he had arrived at Kusakabe's apartment complex-which was also owned by the Hibari's-and was standing in front of his door.

The next hour was spent arranging all their new information-and here Sawada Tsunayoshi's would have to be put aside for the time being much to Hibari's displeasure-and the discussion of any potential candidates for their new elementary school Principle. Unfortunately, taking out Tanioka at this very moment would be troublesome without someone else to take charge as quickly as possible. He'd have to wait and let the man continue to commit his crimes for just a little longer…well, he'd be generous and give him a week. Aki, along with the other people that were working with her, needed just a little more time to get into his bank accounts and dig up enough dirt to completely ruin the man. His drain had been subtle, but long running. Even before Hibari himself had been born. In fact, it had taken a year of careful independent auditing to actually really find it and even then, it was Aki who had first questioned exactly how much of the money was really going to school supplies and such. Hibari would have to be careful not to let Tanioka know that he was on to him.

Che. And _they_ said that he couldn't control himself long enough to effectively handle delicate problems. He'd show them. Just because he preferred to bite first and ask later didn't mean that he couldn't do subtle. These aggravating thoughts began to chase each other around and around in circles and he didn't notice that he had begun to leak an aura of ill-temper and frustration.

"Kyou-san. Will you be returning to your house tonight or will you be staying here?" Here meant the mostly soundproofed and reinforced apartment **1-8** at the end of the hall on the second floor. Even though the first number should have denoted the floor, the first floor was actually the lobby where all rooms were numbered **0**. Kusakabe's was **3-6 **on the fourth floor. The entire building itself had a total of twenty-one floors with eight apartments per floor. The living spaces for renters only started on the second floor as the first floor was not only the lobby, but the place where the landlord and some of the staff lived.

Hibari glanced at Kusakabe's Elvis Presley-why Tetsu had such an obsession with pompadours, Hibari would never know-wall clock and noted that it was just a quarter past eleven.

"I'll stay here. Bring these to my room." So the school and Tanioka's papers were carefully put away into an ordinary backpack and shouldered by Kusakabe. Sawada Tsunayoshi's information was put into a messenger bag and slung over Hibari's shoulder. As far as anyone could tell, they were just two ordinary boys who were probably working on their homework together.

Tanioka or the Omnivore. Right now, he didn't want to think of the first as that would only put him in a worse mood so he turned his thoughts to the Omnivore, feeling an odd sort of anticipation rise up. If only there was a lead on Sawada Tsunayoshi's whereabouts!

Hibari press the down button for the elevator harshly and noticed that one was already on its way down from the highest floor. With a ***ding!*** the silver doors slid open and Hibari stepped in, paying no heed to the other occupant. He did take notice when Kusakabe didn't follow after him and was instead half gaping at him.

"Tetsu." Hibari's tone held just a hint of question.

It was enough to snap him out of his trance and the taller boy quickly entered the elevator. He continued to stare above Hibari though and so the boy turned to look at the only other person with them.

Wayward brown hair fluffed to a ridiculous degree, he was dressed in sneakers, faded jeans and an orange and white hoodie with a large **27** across the front. Red, white, and black headphones-also with the number 27-covered his ears and his hands were in his pockets as he leaned against the back wall of the elevator.

As the doors slid shut, the teen slowly opened his eyes. Ambers orbs like light passing through warm honey, glowing with an unknown power. No picture could do justice to the power and serenity that this figure exuded just from his burning eyes alone. Then he blinked and somehow the light changed; it was no longer a tantalizing show of hidden strength, but a _warm,warm, warm_ kind and gentle gaze that wrapped around and engulfed all who fell under it, befitting his herbivorous middle school pictures.

Hibari stared up at the elder boy, his tired mind completely and utterly blank.

"Ah. Do you boys live here?"

There was just enough sense left in Hibari's quickly-turning-to-goo-brain to quietly nod. Kusakabe did the same, if only because he was unsure of how to respond to this turn of events.

"I guess that makes you my new neighbors then. My name is Sawada Tsunayoshi, but you can just call me Tsuna. Pleased to meet you."

Then those eyes closed and that should have broken its hold over him, but Sawada Tsunayoshi smiled as if he was genuinely happy to see him and why was it suddenly so _warm, warm, warm_…

* * *

"Italian wine? What's the occasion?"

"Nothing really dear. I just got a bonus today, so I thought that maybe I could splurge a little."

Tanaka's beloved wife, bless her heart, was a wonderful understanding woman who thought that her husband was a just a normal salary man-who was lucky enough to have earned the favor of the closest thing that Namimori could call a ruling family- working his way up the corporate ladder. She exclaimed over the news cheerfully and was none the wiser.

Hours after the meeting with Hibari, Hitoshi, sitting in the comfort of his own home, could only chuckle ruefully.

"Tsunayoshi-kun, you've done it again. Just one look and Hibari Kyouya has already been caught under your spell. That boy's going to grow up to be a monster and you'll be the one holding his leash. I'm not sure whether I should envy you or pity you."

It wasn't often that he drank foreign wine, usually choosing to keep to his sake, but he supposed that tonight was a special occasion.

Holding his glass up to the lamp in his study, he observed the way the light passing the deep burgundy red seemed to gleam back at him in an ominous manner.

"Pity it is. Best of luck to you boy."

* * *

**Ramune-A carbonated drink in a distinctive glass bottle. You open it by pushing down a marble which is placed as a stopper for the opening. They come in a variety of flavors. **

**Banchou-Male leader of a gang of delinquents **

**Hikikomori-Officially, a person who has withdrawn from society for at least 6 months without any other mental disorder to account for why they do this. It's apparently a growing problem, but not just in Japan. Aki classifies as this, but she does keep up with current events and the things happening around her.**

**Hato-Pigeon or Dove. –ko is a suffix usually used for girl names. This is not this OCs real name.**

**Kusa mocha- "grass mochi" made from the leaves of the Japanese mugwort plant.**

**Momokyokai- 'Peach Association' The yakuza group that gets wiped out in canon by Tsuna and co.**

**Google Nara, Japan and deer. **

**I'm still not happy with Yasushi's story. There was actually an alternate one that he was supposed to talk about instead of the Mukuro incident here. It was a huge chunk of text involving a great deal of detail about Gokudera and Yamamoto and involved the OCs way more than I really wanted them to be. I may work that into a future chapter or just leave it out entirely. Really wanted to add the Gokudera part in though.**

**Hibari's mystery parents are OCs in this fic that I haven't quite decided whether to or not to give more of a role to than just side mentions. They are still alive though.**

**This entire chapter was just to hype up Hibari's (and the rest of the DC's) expectations of Tsuna. It also ended up being about 4,000 words longer than expected too. And yes, Hibari is on the way to completely ruling Namimori even though he's only nine. I had issues with how Hibari was going to meet Tsuna and discarded at least three different scenarios before settling on this one.**


End file.
